This study investigates parental decision‐making processes in infant formula selection through an innovative mixed‐methods approach combining eye‐tracking technology, surveys, and retrospective interviews. Data were collected from 42 Taiwanese parents, examining their attention patterns to various product attributes including nutritional attributes, environmental sustainability information, and price considerations. Eye‐tracking metrics and decision tree analysis revealed a hierarchical decision‐making process where price and product familiarity serve as initial screening factors, followed by sustained attention to nutritional attributes, particularly sugar content and genetically modified (GM) status. Statistical analyses, including MANOVA, confirmed significant differences in visual attention patterns across areas of interest (AOIs). The decision tree analysis identified key pathways in purchase decisions, with product familiarity emerging as the primary filter, followed by price considerations and health perceptions. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data demonstrates that although parents initially screen products based on familiarity and price, their sustained attention focuses predominantly on nutritional attributes. These findings have important implications for manufacturers in product development and marketing strategies, as well as for policymakers in developing guidelines for infant formula labeling and consumer education.
Chia-Yen Hsieh (Thu,) studied this question.